Questions to Ask Your Contractor

When you are on the hunt for a general contractor in Florida, there are a few questions you should ask before hiring one for your project. A general contractor’s license in Florida ALLOWS you to: Build, repair, and remodel any type of building, regardless of size or number of stories. Construct or alter the structural components of a building or structure. Remodel any type of commercial or residential property.  A contractor is responsible for planning, leading, executing, supervising and inspecting a building construction project. The responsibility extends from the beginning to the end of the project. If you are looking at a large project it is best to hire a professional contractor to do the work for you. Just like with any other transaction you want to ask all of the right questions not only to protect yourself but to also make sure that the contractor has all of the right information as well as you. In this article we will discuss all that you should ask your general contractor before starting your project, let’s begin!

Most of the time you will see that most contractors will try to give you a one line price for your project. If you accept this as your bid you are leaving yourself going into the project blindly and you will have no idea how they have came up with the price. Having each individual item drawn out for you with the quantity and the price will let you know what your money is being used for during the project duration. Below I will add some examples of what should be on the itemized bid you are given:

• Demolition and hauling trash
• Framing and finish carpentry
• Plumbing
• Electrical work
• HVAC
• Tiling or other floor covering installations
• Lighting fixtures
• Drywall and painting

When you are accepting quotes on your project this is a good way to look at who is going to be the cheaper option. However, always keep in mind you are getting what you pay for so make sure you are hiring a contractor with great reviews. Do not only hire just due to the company being lower cost. Contractor’s are normally happy to give you an itemized bid, this not only protects you but them as well.

This is an important step in your project to keep in mind for your protection. Contractors are not all the same, and some will use bids as their estimate. This means that if something ends up costing more, you could end up paying more than you were originally quoted in the beginning. Always ask your contractor for a fixed price bid. It is a possibility that the contractor could be hesitant to do this for you due to the many things that could occur during a job, if that is the case sit down with them and go over whatever could go differently, this way you are both prepared for any unforeseen issues. If something cannot be explained due to not being in the project yet have the professional general contractor create a change order bid for you, this is similar to a newer bill that has been altered from the first.

One of the most important questions to ask first and foremost is how long they have been doing this field of work. It is completely acceptable to request referrals and to ask for a business card with an address that is near you (Do not accept a PO Box) ask for an actual physical address. It is important to have all the information you can get on the company that is giving you a quote for the work they will be doing. You want to be sure that they will complete the work and take the task seriously. If a contractor refuses to give you any of this information take that as a red flag to not have them complete your project for you.

Most contractors have certain suppliers that they use to provide product for their jobs they are doing. Asking who they use gives you the ability to contact the supply chain to ask about the contractor and their reliability and what level of quality products they will be using. Suppliers you can ask for are:

• Tile shops
• Kitchen and bath showrooms
• Lumber yards
• Customer support of the local Home Improvement Store

Taylor Builders is a full-scale General Contractor servicing the Tri-County area of South Florida and beyond providing ground up construction and addition services. They are happy to answer all of these questions listed above for you and more. Providing customers with quality work and dedication throughout every project, and make sure every client feels like priority. If you are looking for a General Contractor in your area, contact Taylor Builders for a quote today. We look forward to serving you!